All a power cord has to do is deliver AC energy to the audio or any other kind of device's power supply. The more current the device needs, the larger the conductors in the cord should be. Thus a 120VAC power amp might benefit from a 14 or 12 gauge cable, while a CD player would typically only need an 18 gauge cable. There is no audio signal going through the power cord, and the supply itself isolates--or it damn well should, if any sort of competent person designed it--the audio circuitry from the AC and the power cord. Fortunately, cables are a commodity item, so there are inexpensive ones for those who want performance at a low price, and there are expensive ones for those who want performance at a high price.
How can power cords make a difference?
I am trying to understand why power cords can make a difference.
It makes sense to me that interconnects and speaker cables make a difference. They are dealing with a complex signal that contains numerous frequencies at various phases and amplitudes. Any change in these parameters should affect the sound.
A power cord is ideally dealing with only a single frequency. If the explanation is RF rejection, then an AC regeneration device like PS Audio’s should make these cords unnecessary. I suppose it could be the capacitance of these cables offering some power factor correction since the transformer is an inductive load.
The purpose of my post is not to start a war between the “I hear what I hear so it must be so” camp and the “you’re crazy and wasting your money,” advocates. I am looking for reasons. I am hoping that someone can offer some valid scientific explanations or point me toward sources of this information. Thanks.
It makes sense to me that interconnects and speaker cables make a difference. They are dealing with a complex signal that contains numerous frequencies at various phases and amplitudes. Any change in these parameters should affect the sound.
A power cord is ideally dealing with only a single frequency. If the explanation is RF rejection, then an AC regeneration device like PS Audio’s should make these cords unnecessary. I suppose it could be the capacitance of these cables offering some power factor correction since the transformer is an inductive load.
The purpose of my post is not to start a war between the “I hear what I hear so it must be so” camp and the “you’re crazy and wasting your money,” advocates. I am looking for reasons. I am hoping that someone can offer some valid scientific explanations or point me toward sources of this information. Thanks.
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- 193 posts total
- 193 posts total